Winter Sights on the Way to the Library

I made my bi-weekly pilgrimage to the Swampscott Library with my son, and saw a few interesting sights along the way (besides watching my son repeatedly fling himself onto the snowbanks lining the sidewalks--oh, to be five again and loving snow!).



Of course, since my house was the first stop, I had to memorialize the 5-15 inches of fluffly stuff we got this weekend.



Quite a change from this shot from late June:


Of course, it's hard to appreciate January in Massachusetts, with pictures like the above, just teasing us, but I like to think that days like this makes me appreciate the warmer weather even more. And there are some lovely things to see, like these Sedum seed heads poking out of the snow at a house along the way to the library.



Or even slightly more whimsical sights, like this green chair and blue hose. They sort of make me think the owner was in the middle of the driveway, enjoying a sunny day in his/her garden, and then bamm! a blizzard struck.



And even on a day when it doesn't get much above 30, these Rhododendron flower buds, were a hopeful reminder that Spring will come.

If I had to Pick a Favorite

Rosa 'Belinda's Dream'

As the days get shorter and colder, I start to think more about how I want the garden to look next year, than do any actual working in the garden. In thinking about what I would do differently, what I want more of, etc..., one thing really strikes me; the success of roses in my garden.


Rosa 'Flower carpet Yellow'

When I first started out, I was really nervous about Roses; everyone said they were finicky about sun and soil, prone to mold and disease, but none of those things have really played a role so far. Maybe I've been lucky in my choices, but I have noticed a lot of roses growing in Swampscott, from the ubiquitous Rosa Rugosa along the shore at my favorite beach, to my neighbor's humungous noisette that blooms in the Spring. Maybe they like the shore climate, with its near constant wind, short Spring, long Fall, snowy, but relatively mild Winter temperatures (rarely does it get below 20 or 25 here). Or maybe I'm super lucky to have a very sunny corner lot, that gets full sun for over 10 hours during the summer.


Grandma's Rose on October 22!

Beyond the aesthetics of roses (which far more talented and poetic writers than I, have rhapsodized about), they have some wonderful characteristics that have made them my favorite:

1) After the first season (once they've developed a taproot), they are virtually drought tolerant (my Knockout and Flowercarpet roses are a testament to this).

2) The shrub roses totally stand up to wind! I have a windy corner, and many of my flowers just don't do well with all the wind (i.e. they all fall over). My roses probably do better because of the wind (less chance for mold to take hold).

3) Many varieties bloom for three seasons! I've been enjoying blooms since June, and it's October and almost all my roses are still blooming. For me, gardening is about the flowers, and to see a few buds lighting up a scraggly corner just makes my day.

4) Okay, I will mention the aesthetics. Roses are gorgeous! They come in a ton of colors, and a single flower goes through many changes while it blooms, so it's like you get three or four flowers out of one.


Rosa 'Sunflare' when it first starts to open.


Sunflare once its fully open.

Whatever the reason roses do well in my little garden, I'm thankful!

Late Afternoon in July

Yesterday was a truly memorably beautiful day; no clouds (a rarity this summer), no mugginess, and gentle sea breezes. After a perfect beach day, I took a survey of the garden and was happy with a few things I found.

Like my bush tomatoes are starting to ripen:


And the bush cukes are just going nuts. They don't seem to mind the wet weather:


Many of my flowers are really peaking or beginning their decline, but there were a few standouts.

Like these hemerocallis (daylily) that I saved from the %50-off rack at Home Depot:


Or this Belinda's Dream Rose that I ordered from Antique Rose Emporium -- it's supposed to be just about the perfect rose (its an Earthkind rose -- drought and disease resistant, and a repeat bloomer, with the classic, cupped bloom form). I planted it this June, and its beginning its second bloom of the summer.


Many of my hydrangeas are beginning to decline, but are still lovely. Like this Nikko Blue Hydrangea that I feel is making a nice pairing with my variegated dogwood (Cornus alba 'Ivory Halo').


I got this Alpenglow Hydrangea last year, a sale item from Bluestone Perennials. It came in a 4-inch pot and is now about 2ft x 2ft. I love how the electric pink has mellowed to a softer, mauvey pink.


I caught Auggie, frequently known as the Devil Dog, taking a breather under my Japanese Dappled Willow (Salix integra 'Hakuro-nishiki' ). Belying his nature, he looks rather sweet and cuddly.


-Steph

The Fells, Round Two

Got back from vacation on Sunday night, and after some failed attempts at the laundry pile, trips to the vet (my dog will be toothless one day), and more failed attempts at housekeeping, I'm posting again! My satellite internet connection in New Hampshire was too slow for uploading, and The Fells really needs more than one posting.



There were many beautiful flowery tableaus, but unfortunately, going through the film today, I noticed many of my shots didn't render well. We made our visit almost exactly at noon, which is, I'm learning, just about the worst time to photograph flowers. All the light just bounces off the flower, straight into my camera.

Here's an example from the rose terrace:

The pink rose didn't turn out bad, but the white daisies just looked kind of blurry. Oh well, even if the flower pictures weren't great, there was a ton of other things to see.

The pond/sculpture in the old garden:


There was even a little frog in the water:


The Fells frequently showcases art, and we were lucky enough to visit during a sculpture show, Animal Attractions. We could have this elephant on an ironing board for a cool $11,000!


Though the sculptures were amazing, I really enjoyed the weathered urns found on top of the stone walls throughout the estate:


And the shady passageways:


The views of the meadow from the house were pretty good too:


I can't wait to go back in the Fall!

-Steph

A Visit to the Fells

We're on vacation this week, near Mt. Sunapee, New Hampshire (the Live Free or Die state), and woke up to a chilly morning. Rather than wait for the weather to warm up and find ways to entertain my 4-year old that did not involve getting in a rather chilly lake, I dragged both husband and child to The Fells, a late 20th century estate, whose grounds and mansion are open to the public.

The estate has pretty much everything; a long border, rock garden, Japanese-style Lily pond, Rose Terrace, meadows, 1.5 mile nature walk with lake/mountain views, plant nursery, plus tours of the house. For the passionate gardener, it was a lovely trip, for the hubbie and kid, meh. I definitely want to return, sans child (and spouse).

View of Lake Sunapee from the Rose Terrace:


Part of the actual house and part of the long border:


The Climbing Hydrangea Vine covered wall and fountain:


Since my Internet connection is not so good from up here, I will be posting again, with more pics. And since there was just so much to see and enjoy, I can't do it justice with just one post.

-Steph

P.S. Mt. Sunapee is an easy 2 hour drive from Boston!

I Found My House!

I was looking for information about Nahant, having decided to drive around it, scouting out places to go on a bike ride with my son, and stumbled upon a collection of photos that were archived in the Swampscott Public Library collection of digital images (actually, really cool pictures, part of a larger collection of North Shore community digital archives). And actually found a picture of my house (well, half my house) circa 1932!



Our house is on the right side, corner, the one with the double wrap-around porches. The picture is fascinating for several reasons, not the least of which is that a picture of our house from 1932 actually exists. For one, the porches no longer wrap around our house, something I always wondered about, since the current design doesn't seem right.



Since we moved in, we knew we had to rebuild the front porch. The problem heated up last Fall when a storm blew a section of the top-most railing right off. The whole thing is a painful eye-sore which I try to camouflage with my garden, hoping no one looking at our house, ever looks up.

Finding the picture makes me a little heartsick; our house clearly has been put through the ringer, and though I love its location, I know we'll never be able to bring her back to her former glory.

Or maybe we will. Now that evidence exists with regard to how the house/porches used to look, it's going to be really hard not to just bite the bullet and try to bring it back to its original form -- obviously when I win the lottery.

-Steph

Fun with a Camera

I have often complained on this blog about having difficulty taking closeups of flowers, but a few days ago, my Dad let me borrow his Canon Rebel XTi digital camera.

I love how the blades of grass below the Hydrangea are sharp, but look soft and cushy at the same time.


I'm not sure what is prettier, the foliage or the flower on this Nasturium.


Roses almsot always look best up close. I agree.


I've always loved this pink Hydrangea ('Alpenglow') just before it goes totally hot pink. I'm glad I caught it.


I know what will be on my Christmas/Birthday/Mother's Day Wish List this year. Either that, or sell my first-born.

-Steph

Summer?

At this point it feels a bit redundant to complain about the weather, but it is just awful! I am sure my neighbors thinks I'm even more bonkers (they already think I'm bonkers) for gardening in the misty/sprinkles that pass for a break in the rain, but I don't see a choice. On the other hand, I haven't had to water very much.

Despite the lack of sun, there have been a few bits of inspiration around the garden. Many plants are beginning their bloom, and have grown into monsters with all the rain.

I've been calling the unnamed rose bush I dug up at my Grandma's a Hybrid Tea, but because it is starting to develop multiple blooms on one stalk, I'm actually starting to think it is a Floribunda. Once it breaks bud, it's this bright pink.


After a few more days, it matures to this heavenly pale pink.



This rose is lovely, but difficult. Aphids love it, it already has some black spot and leaf curl, but I've decided to go organic in my garden, and if a rose can't handle it, well, that just means I have to go on a hunt for something that will do well in my garden. I've already become devoted to my Knockout roses. I've got two, a pink, and a double red.

Here's the double red.

It's already bloomed once, and it's beginning a second round of blooming. The blooms first open, looking a little like a classic Hybrid Tea rose. The red is so bright, the light just bounces off my camera, making it hard to shoot.

Another rose I've had some success with is my Flowercarpet Yellow (it's behind the Miscanthus - the clumping grass). I bought the plant last year, and it just churned out the flowers immediately. I didn't water it, or fertilize it, just let it go, and this year it's even better.


The Flowercarpet series, as the name suggests, is supposed to spread widely and stay low, but the yellow's form has been pretty upright and non-spreading, but the rose production is so amazing, I went out and found a 'Pink Supreme,' which is just now starting to bloom. I also recently planted another shrub rose, 'Belinda's Dream,' which is supposedly disease resistant and very heat/humidity tolerant. I'll keep you posted about how these work out.

Now that I have a few roses, I'm totally in love. Definitely, a rainy-day-blues buster of a plant.

-Steph

Foxgloves and Romance Novels

I wrestled for a while with the thought of letting the world outside my family know that next to gardening, my next great passion/addiction/timesuck is Romance Novels. Rarely do the two worlds connect. Occasionally, I might read a novel in my garden, which is truly enjoyable. Sometimes the destined lovers share an embrace in a garden, but that's generally the extent of the synergy. However, a recent Eloisa James novel featured one of my new favorite plants! As the plant is just now coming into full bloom, I had to share why I think this plant is so amazing, though I won't give away how it was used in the novel.



Last year, I tried my hand at sowing plants from seed (mostly driven by economy), and one of my successes was Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). Foxglove is a biennial, meaning it only grows foliage in its first year, flowers in its second, then dies. Most people are like, "Why bother?" and according to some garden book I read a while back, biennials are disappearing from our gardens.

This year, I had several healthy clumps and had been waiting impatiently as they started to develop flower stalks and finally blooms. Some of the plants are real monsters, at almost four feet. They seem to like a little dappled shade, but that's about it. I sowed more this Winter, and plan on keeping it up for a while.



If most biennials are as beautiful and easy to grow as Foxgloves, then their disappearance is a tragedy. Okay, maybe not a tragedy like the ones that occur in my novels, but it's a travesty at least. These plants germinate easily, and are almost impossible to kill. I would forget to water the seedlings, I moved them repeatedly from pot to pot, I stomped on their little leaves once I planted them outside, but they took took it all, and turned out just lovely. Here's a closeup:



-Steph

P.S. One thing to note, these plants are very poisonous. Hmm, could that be a plot point in the novel? I won't give that away, but I did want to warn anyone thinking of growing them. Keep them away from animals and children, especially the vase water if you opt to cut them and bring them in. One last piece of synergy, I believe Foxgloves might be featured in Amy Stewart's new book, "Wicked Plants." I love Stewart's writing, so I have no doubt it will be a great read too. I mean, she's no Eloisa James, or anything, but she holds her own.

Daylilies and Blogs

Where to begin...so much to write about and only two hands...first off, my awesome sister just started her own blog (inspired by moi) and it's already one of my new favorites. It's called "GrowinginPepperell," and she writes about gardening, mulch, husbands, and children.

And, oh yes, the Daylilies have begun blooming (though the Stellas have been at it for a while. I believe the picture above is of Hemerocallis 'To Janet.' I'm still waiting on the pinks, 'Chorus Line' and 'Strawberry Candy'.

Did you know there's a Daylily society? I didn't, but googled "daylily" because I wasn't sure if it had one or two "l's" and got a link to the American Hemerocallis Society. Cool.

In other news, I have begun a smallish (5x3) raised-bed project, intending to grow some tomatos and basil out there. It's also a handy place to plunk chunks of sod. This fall I'll throw some compost on top and maybe some topsoil. Visions of heirlooms tomatos are dancing in my head. Building it was actually pretty easy and cheap (about $30, not including price of dirt and compost).

Coincidentally, in the foreground is Amy Stewart's "Flower Confidential," which I borrowed from the library. It's really interesting and a good, fast read (my favorite). Makes me want to request organic, fair trade roses, from my husband next Valentines (or better yet, I can use it as an excuse to buy my own rose bushes).